CO Dems. propose banning high-capacity magazines

High-capacity magazines contain more than 10 rounds of ammunition and were used during the Aurora theater shooting and at Sandy Hook Elementary.

"We have got to address the extraordinary gun violence that threatens our society," DeGette said on Sunday during a press conference about gun control.

"We can never stop an imbalanced young man from going into an elementary school with a gun. But we sure as heck can stop him from having these 30-round magazines that can shoot a whole classroom full of first graders in just a matter of a couple of minutes," she added.Fields announced Sunday that she is proposing similar state legislation."I wasn't able to save my son, because he was murdered. He was ambushed alongside his fiancé, and I'm here to say enough is enough," Fields said.

Their goals were echoed by about a half dozen protestors outside the Tanner Gun Show Sunday, and refuted by some of the hundreds who flooded the gun show.

"Banning high-capacity magazines, banning certain individual types of weaponry, doesn't reduce safety. And in fact, what it really does is makes legal gun owners then criminals," said James Newton, a Fort Collins gun owner. "It's essentially about limiting individual freedoms."

He says he thinks the better solution is to arm teachers and parents and even some administrators to keep kids safe.

State Senator Scott Renfore has drafted Senate Bill 9, which would give districts the option to allow school personnel to carry concealed weapons. Those employees who have concealed carry permits already would be required to have additional training.

"It's something that honors our second amendment and it would give teachers or employees the option to protect themselves and the students in the classrooms," Renfore said.

Both the senate and the house are controlled by democrats and the committee that will be voting on the bill has a democratic majority. Renfore knows the likelihood of his bill passing is slim, but he's remaining optimistic.

"I would hope they would look at this and realize that there are places in the state that would support this measure," Renfore said.

Senate Bill 9 is second on the agenda for the Judiciary Committee to hear on Monday.